Chat Room Conspiracy Theories
by phnx007
Summary: "They talk about me in the chatty rooms?" —Angel, season 4 episode 5, "Supersymmetry."
1. The LA Might Be Screwed Conversation

A/N: This is another fic for the class. It will contain multiple chapters that will be published within the next few days. Once this is done, I'm probably going to move onto other fandoms because I got some ideas rolling around there. That doesn't mean I'm abandoning the WIPs, but I am getting a little tired of "Angel." I'm still working on the other ones, but it's slow going and it will be awhile.

Disclaimer: Except for OCs, characters belong to Joss Whedon, as do plot lines for all five seasons of "Angel." Which leads me to a spoiler warning — this fic covers all five seasons of "Angel." Read at your own discretion.

Summer, 1998, Los Angeles, _Thawk! Comics_ Internet Chat room

 _dnabbit43: you guys heard about what happened with the Duvall case?_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: yeah! Heard it was demons_

 _Moderator: This is a reminder that the discussion for today's forum is over the age-old question, Batman versus Superman. please stick to facts dealing with comics, not fiction._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: the Duvall case is hardly fiction. and i have a theory on how Benjamin Duvall was appealed._

 _trekky91: of course you do_

 _dnabbit43: weren't his lawyers from Wolfram & Hart?_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: exactly! it was his lawyers._

 _Moderator: Please stop with your conspiracy theories._

 _dnabbit43: this a chat room, where conspiracy theories soar and blossom._

 _trekky91: of course his lawyers got him off. that's what lawyers do._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: uh huh. explain to me how a man who strapped a bomb to a kid in front of 20 eyewitnesses got off clean. no lawyer can be that good, unless…_

 _dnabbit43: unless what?_

 _Moderator: Seriously, Superman versus Batman. I've got a theory George Clooney actually wanted to be Superman, but didn't get the part so that's why his Batman was so bad._

 _trekky91: now look who's talking conspiracies._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: Duvall's lawyers are evil. in fact, Wolfram & Hart is evil. like, really evil. not just regular lawyer evil, but Dante's 9th Circle of Hell evil. you all know vampires and demons are real, right?_

 _trekky91: i have a friend who's from Sunnydale. according to him, a vampire went on a serious rampage this past spring and tried to end the world._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: yeah, i heard about that too. i also heard he's dead. but anyway, my point is that I think W &H caters to evil._

 _dnabbit43: vampires and demons are real, okay. does that mean demon princesses are real, too? like in Dungeons & Dragons?_

 _trekky91: yes._

 _Moderator: I give up._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: give up if you want to, but trust me when i say Los Angeles is screwed as long as Wolfram & Hart is here._

Lindsey McDonald, Evil Lawyer Extraordinaire, knew _Don't Stop Believing_ by Journey hardly was an evil song. In fact, the melody and tone and lyrics suggested it was definitely an uplifting feel good song, and Lindsey had no doubt Journey had intended the song be affiliated with general goodness, or whatever.

But here's the rub — evil people could feel good and uplifted. Just ask any serial killer who gets off on technicalities or, and this is the important one, the lawyer who gets the serial killer off on a technicality.

Like him, for example. The Duvall case was his first at Wolfram & Hart, and damn, did he feel good.

So Lindsey believed he had every right to be singing this acoustic rendition of the classic rock n' roll song at this creepy ass demon karaoke bar.

The humans and demons in attendance seemed to be enjoying his performance, which he took much pride in. Regardless, if his boss, Mr. Manners, ever found him here, he could probably expect to be fired by Ritual Sacrifice.

But it didn't matter. It was worth the risk, this flying high feeling. Each strum of the cord reverberating back through his veins, his blood echoing in his ears in time with the beat. Lindsey didn't believe in much of anything. He worked for an evil law firm, and he could probably argue with some 20-something free-thinking hippie on whether or not that made him inherently evil as well, or just morally ambiguous, but he could honestly care less.

Right now, on this stage, was about him. And he was going to enjoy it. To hell with the child victim whom would inevitably need psychiatric treatments in the future after those few tense minutes with ten blocks of C4 strapped to him. Lindsey didn't sell his soul to the Devil to cry every time an innocent person or child got hurt. From rags to riches, that was Lindsey, and he didn't necessarily care how he got there.

All that mattered was that he was here, finally. In the spotlight, and nothing was going to stop him.

When he finished, the Host of the karaoke bar, a green-skinned, red-horned demon the likes of which Lindsey had never seen before hopped up onto the stage next to him.

"Woo-wee! Wasn't that lovely, folks? Not only does Journey rock, they sing about my favorite motto, don't stop believing! Why don't we give young Mr. McDonald here another round of applause?" The Host slapped Lindsey on the back as the crowd started clapping and hollering again. Lindsey liked the appreciation, but he could do without this guy's enthusiasm.

Oh well. He's here for only one reason anyway.

"While I speak to Lindsey here, Johnny the Haxlar demon is up next, who's going to treat us to some Beach Boys," the Host continued.

Lindsey nodded to the crowd and followed the Host off the stage.

"I know why you're here," the Host began, handing Lindsey a drink from the bar. "Congratulations on the Duvall case. You're first one, I assume? Your energy levels are the through the roof!" The Host was smiling at him, but the smile seemed strained. Lindsey wasn't sure what that meant though, so he nodded.

"Yes, sir," Lindsey said. He may be evil, but he still had manners. "First case, first win. One for one."

"And you want to know if you'll be able to continue the streak, if you should be worried."

Lindsey took a sip of his drink. He tried to hide the wince as the drink, whatever it was, burned down his throat. "My boss says he thinks I can accomplish great things."

"Well then, you have nothing to worry about. Keep doing what you're doing, and you'll be fine."

"That's it? I need specifics."

Based on the Host's attitude throughout the night, Lindsey figured he was one of those neutral demons who didn't have an evil bone in its body, but the glare the Host turned on Lindsey at that moment was enough for Lindsey to nervously gulp the rest of his drink down, despite the burning sensation it left in his mouth.

"I can't give you specifics because I don't have any. I read a person's aura, not the future, comprende?"

Lindsey held out his hands in front of him in order to calm the demon. "Alright fine, sorry," he said. "So I'm going to be okay?"

"Short answer, yes," the Host said, although his tone still suggested he thought Lindsey deserved to swallow a bunch of knives. "And that's all you're going to get. I've got a lot customers tonight. Sorting through people's auras in a room full of evil demons is like drinking 20 gin and tonics and then riding Space Mountain. The one at Disneyland, not Disneyworld. It's not fun."

Despite the need to be reassured about the future of his job, Lindsey McDonald considered himself a pretty good lawyer, and being able to read people — demon or otherwise — came with the job title. And there was something about the way the Host was fidgeting slightly and glancing toward the stage, not to mention the demon's attitude, which seemed uncharacteristic for someone who was just doing his job, which told Lindsey the demon was lying. Or at the very least, not telling him everything.

Whatever. He got Duvall off Scott free after the idiot strapped a bomb to a kid in front of 20 people. He didn't need some demon wearing a too bright yellow three-piece suit to reassure him.

He gave a small smirk to the Host to let him know he knew the demon wasn't spilling everything, threw some money onto the bar for the drink and headed out the door.

On his way out, he thought he heard the Host start singing something, but he couldn't make out what it was.

Something about angels, maybe.

He didn't look back.


	2. The LA Might Not Be Screwed Conversation

Chapter 2: The 'Los Angeles Might Not Be Screwed' Conversation

Fall 1999, Los Angeles, _Thawk! Comics_ Internet Chat Room

 _dnabbit43: Update — change in chat room moderators. Our last moderator was a total loser and only wanted to talk about Batman and that other superhero guy. So he got fired. This is dnabbit43, your new Moderator, here to talk all things supernatural. Today's topic: Los Angeles's very own Ghostbusters!_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: they are not called Ghostbusters._

 _dnabbit43: yes, welcome Matt! Matt is the one who told us about the RLGB._

 _trekky91: RLGB?_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: what the hell. you can't use my real name. how do you even know my real name?_

 _dnabbit43: Real Life Ghost Busters. and Matt, we go to the same dentist. but you're the one who noticed Dr. Folger's new neighbor, correct?_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: well, yes. some sort of detective agency has moved into Dr. Folger's office building. It's called Angel Investigations._

 _dnabbit43: and what about it makes you think there's something supernatural going on?_

 _trekky91: so they're a private detective agency?_

 _dnabbit43: they're a SUPERNATURAL private detective agency!_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: idk, they just get some weird clients. and I never see the boss. it's weird._

 _dnabbit43: yes, that is weird!_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: plus, W &H has started losing a lot of its cases lately. _

_saturn47: okay, but how often do you go to the dentist?_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: …every six months._

 _saturn47: mmhmm thought so_

 _dnabbit43: hey, I've seen them too!_

 _trekky91: who exactly have you seen?_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: oh no trekky, not you too_

 _dnabbit43: well, okay I haven't seen anyone. but that doesn't mean anything. they could be underground superheroes, fighting the forces of evil._

 _saturn47: so vigilantes_

 _dnabbit43: vigilantes are superheroes too. ask Batman_

 _theoriginalmoderator: yes, finally. Batman versus Superman people lets go_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: that's real tacky Rob_

 _theoriginalmoderator: oh now you're using people's real names, I see how it is._

 _saturn47: shut up, Rob_

 _dnabbit43: yeah, no one cares rob!_

 _trekky91: as the owner of the comic store of which this chat room is based, technically I should be the moderator. But seeing as dnabbit43 does such a good job of it and keeps things on topic, Rob you can shut up._

 _theoriginalmoderator: oh yeah, take sides Jared, just like you always do._

-0-

Tailing someone on foot was just like tailing someone in a car — stay three people back and always keep them in your line of sight. Of course, Matt Kelly never had tailed anyone in a car before, let alone on foot. But he'd seen plenty episodes of _The X-Files_ and other various cop shows not to understand the basics of police procedure.

His suspect disappearing right in front of him he didn't expect, though, even if he did consider himself the real life version of Fox Mulder.

Before this midnight excursion on the streets of Los Angeles, Matt had made sure to do his research. The suspect — Angel, the head of the new private detective agency, Angel Investigations, which had taken up residence in the same office building as Dr. Fulger's Dentistry a couple months ago. dnabbit43 seemed to think the agency was a supernatural one, and Matt was inclined to agree, but like one disgraced FBI agent in search of the truth, Matt knew you needed evidence to support such a theory.

He didn't need any convincing that demons existed, though. Discovering at age eleven your math teacher sucking the blood of your fellow classmates was enough proof for him. What a weird and nightmare-inducing year that was. A heavy dose of denial may have swept among the adults and other kids after that incident, but for Matt, there was no denying the City of Angels had gone to Hell in a hand basket. It just wasn't clear how long ago it had or if anyone with the proper credentials to take care of evil incarnate cared enough.

And then factor in Wolfram & Hart's presence in the city. Matt knew there were defense attorneys who represented criminals all the time. But Wolfram & Hart operated on a whole new level of evil. They allowed serial killers, rapists, and people who strap bombs to kids walk free. Hell, they even took on the non-human cases too. With the way things seemed to be going, it might as well be the end of the world. The thought didn't sit right with Matt, of course. He had a vested interest in the future. _The X-Files_ had plenty more episodes to go and the prospects of starting a family seemed intriguing. He also just renewed his subscription to _Entertainment Weekly_ , and started writing a screenplay. Police work seemed interesting too.

Which brings him back to his current predicament involving his tailing of Angel and his subsequent losing of Angel. Maybe not police work then.

He could have sworn he never took his eyes off the tall, black-clad figure fifty feet in front of him, even though Angel had blended into the night. Only Angel's pale skin made it possible to see him in the dark. Or so Matt had thought. He slowed his pace down almost to a stop after it became clear Angel was gone. There weren't many people out, which was a tad odd for Los Angeles. It was fall, but the way the air seemed to drop in temperature so quickly the next moment had Matt thinking maybe he wasn't living in _The X-Files_ but _Back to the Future_ instead, and skipped forward a few months to winter.

"You really shouldn't be out on the streets by yourself this late at night," a voice sounded behind him, and Matt will forever deny the yelp that slipped out of his mouth in response. Yeah, definitely _The X-Files,_ Matt thought as he spun around to face the man who got the jump on him and came face-to-face with Angel himself. "You never know what's hiding in the shadows," Angel continued. The words seemed intimidating and creepy, but Angel's face held a small smirk, laugh lines evident on his young face and his tone one of quiet admonishing rather than menacing.

After Matt's heart stopped trying to beat right out of his chest, he squared his shoulders and looked Angel in the eye in an attempt to make it look as if getting caught was part of his plan. "I could say the same to you," Matt said, hoping to God he was just imagining how shaky his voice sounded.

Angel raised his eyebrows at that. "Touché," Angel said, then paused a moment, probably assessing whether Matt was a threat or not. "You've been following me for a while," Angel went on.

So, absolutely no to police work then. Matt reluctantly nodded, trying to judge Angel's reaction to his admission and hoping Angel didn't drag him to the police station, asking for reward money for catching a stalker in the act.

"Why?" the other man asked. The question didn't sound accusing or even concerned at having a stalker. Just curious.

Well, Angel already knew Matt had been following him. It probably wasn't going to hurt any to come clean about everything else. Except the Internet chat room conversations. That might be crossing the line. So Matt went with the only thing that's been on his mind since Angel Investigations set up shop. "Russell Winters."

In hindsight, that may have been the wrong thing to say based on the way Angel's eyes narrowed and the smile, while not previously reaching its full potential, dropped into a full frown. Whoever Angel was, it's clear he could kill you in a heartbeat. Now just to determine what side he was on and if Matt's home could be saved. "He was a vampire, wasn't he?" Matt asked.

Angel nodded slowly, but the flat expression on his face made it difficult for Matt to determine what the other man was thinking. Since he hadn't been attacked yet, Matt figured he was clear to keep talking. "My dentist is Dr. Folger. When I went for a check-up a few weeks ago, I noticed a new business had moved in. Angel Investigations." Matt waited a moment for a reaction to the revelation of his knowledge of the business and Angel's affiliation with it. There wasn't one. "The way I see it," Matt continued, "Angel Investigations moves in and suddenly Wolfram & Hart starts losing cases. Can't be a coincidence, right? I mean, Wolfram & Hart have been crazy good at winning, even though the evidence always points to their client being guilty. They don't lose easily. So for a small private detective agency to come in and turn the tables on what I consider to be ultimate evil, well then, they've got to be something special, right?"

Angel didn't seem to know what to do with Matt's speech, but Matt was grateful to see a considerable lax in Angel's shoulders. Finally, the small smile appeared on Angel's face again, followed by a quiet chuckle.

"Seems like you've got everything figured out, then. Not sure why you're following me, though," Angel said.

"I just want to know that my home is safe, Mr. Angel."

Based on the way Angel started shuffling his feet, Matt guessed Angel was uncomfortable with being addressed so formally. "Just Angel," the other man said. "And I can't promise you anything, except that we're working on it."

Matt nodded, taking the small reassurance for what it was — confirmation that other people were aware of what was going on — and looked closer at the other man. Something was off. Already perfectly aware of the questionable daytime hours Angel kept, even based on Matt's admittedly very few glances of the man at the office building, and the darkened offices of Angel Investigations, Matt didn't dare presume he was standing in the presence of a human. But the events of tonight — the disappearing and reappearing behind Matt, and the way Matt hadn't heard Angel approach him until Angel had spoken — just confirmed his suspicions. "You're not human, are you?" Matt asked, wondering if such a question was racist, or speciest, as the case may be.

Now, Angel did laugh. "Nothing gets by you, does it, kid?" That seemed to be the only answer Matt was going to get on the subject, which was answer enough, really. Angel reached into his pocket and pulled out a small rectangular card and handed it to Matt. "Next time, call., okay?" Angel said. "I'm not kidding about being out on the streets at night."

Matt glanced down at what he suspected was a business card. As far as credentials go, it wasn't much. And the motto — "we help the helpless!" — didn't sound like a confident battle cry so much as it did a small attempt at treating the symptoms. Matt figured maybe that was the point.

Matt studied the phone number, wanting to be sure he memorized it, just in case. After he was sure he got it, Matt raised his head to offer a thank you, but the words died on his lips when he was once again left with nothing but an empty sidewalk in front him.

Matt smiled, pocketed the card, and headed home.


	3. Our Morally Ambiguous Champion

A/N: Technically, this one is chapter 4. But back in the spring, the last time I had the chance to work on this, I was writing them out of order, kind of, which is why there is no chapter 3 (yet). I have a few I'll post right after this one, but only because it's everything I wrote back then and felt like posting them.

Chapter 4: The 'Angel, Our Morally Ambiguous Champion' Conversation

Winter 2000, _Thawk! Comics_ Internet Chat Room

 _saturn47: quick poll — a demon who spent a 150 years doing evil things suddenly gets a soul, changes his name and his mission statement. is the soulful version responsible for previous evil acts committed, or are they two different people altogether?_

 _dnabbit43: come on, don't be like that saturn. not now._

 _saturn47: but the soul and demon coexist in the same body, so when the soulful version — let's call him Angel, and the evil one Angelus — starts doing questionable acts of violence in the name of justice, is he evil? are Angel and Angelus the same person? if so, then is Angel responsible for raping and killing his way across Europe for 150 years?_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: shut up, man. no wants to hear your shit tonight._

 _saturn47: i think i raise some pretty appropriate questions considering last night's events. your boy's gone rogue. lawyers are dead. shop workings, dead._

 _theoriginalmoderator: evil lawyers._

 _trekky91: heard Angel let Darla and Drusilla kill them._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: But I think Angel is working on stopping them._

 _trekky91: I also heard he fired his entire team._

 _…_

…

…

 _saturn47: you guys realize the irony here right?_

 _dnabbit43: please for the love of God, stop talking._

 _saturn47: my point nabbit, is that your so-called hero ain't exactly exhibiting the proper characteristics of a hero._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: oh, and you're an expert on heroes now, are you? What have you done lately that doesn't include sitting in front of a TV screen?_

 _saturn47: at least I don't claim to be a hero._

 _dnabbit43: Angel has never claimed to be one, either._

 _saturn47: yeah? Why don't you tell him to get down off his righteous pedestal and be reminded he isn't God. He let two blood thirsty vamps eat the majority of Wolfram & Hart lawyers._

 _theoriginalmoderator: at least they were evil lawyers._

 _dnabbit43: not helping, rob._

 _…_

 _…_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: so there's two Angel Investigations now?_

 _dnabbit43: no, there's only one Angel Investigations._

 _…_

 _thetruthisoutthere123: okay. but can there be an Angel Investigations without Angel?_

 _…_

 _…_

 _saturn47: you know what the say — the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, especially by those already previously been._

"This is a stupid idea." Chris rolled his eyes at his companion. Rob wasn't exactly his first choice as co-conspirator, but with the heated discussions of the chat rooms lately, Chris didn't think either David or Matt would see the humor in what he was about to do. It was really more of a one-person job anyway, but comedy was always better with an audience, so Rob.

"Relax. I'm sure Angel will enjoy the topic of conversation," Chris replied, rifling through the phone book for the number to the Hyperion. Chris had never met Angel in person, and if he was being honest, he didn't have much faith in Angel as a Champion of the World, or so Matt and David referred to him as. It's not that Chris denied Angel was in fact a soulful vampire, it was more of a seeing-is-believing idea, and he had never seen Angel in action.

After locating the correct phone number, he instructed Rob what to dial and told him to put it on speakerphone. "We're calling in the middle of the day. Won't he be angry at us for waking him up?" Rob whispered. Before Chris could reply though, Rob's question was answered when a sleepy, irritated voice came through the line.

"What?" Angel growled. Chris figured since he hadn't ever seen Angel in person, the voice would have been more intimidating with a picture to go with it.

Chris took a deep breath and gave Rob a 'keep quiet' glare and began his rehearsed speech. "Yes sir, this is Kyle from Peyton Ministries. As a recent attempt to gain more members of our relatively new church, we are conducting a survey. Our main topic of conversation is a series of philosophical musings on the soul, and how it shapes a person's life choices and whether or not a person could be inherently evil even with a soul. Through extensive research, we determined you would be an ideal candidate for our studies."

Chris figured it was only Angel's near-tired state that allowed him to speak for so long, but the long silence that greeted the end of his speech was so tense Chris wondered if Angel had somehow already pinpointed his location and treated him to a long and painful death. Chris looked up to Rob, whose face had gone pale, tiny beads of sweat raining down his forehead.

Chris had expected anger from the vampire, especially with Angel's recent existential crisis, but what he got was laughter. "Is this Chris?" Angel asked.

Somehow it was Angel's seemingly genuine laughter that had Chris on edge. Rob didn't look much better.

Before Chris could answer, Angel continued. "Yeah, Matt told me you might do something like this. But a philosophical debate on the nature of a soul? Really? That's the best you could do? Kid, I've been pondering that very question for the last 100 years. Your attempt to offend me or catch me off guard isn't something that hasn't already been tried before. I look forward to your next attempt." Then the vampire-with-a-soul hung up, laughing.

"Shit," breathed Rob. "Shit."

"Oh, shut up Rob."


	4. The Supernatural Ignores Its Own Rules

Chapter 5: The 'When the Supernatural Stops Playing By Its Own Rules' Conversation

Late Fall 2001, _Thawk! Comics_ Internet Chat Room

 _saturn47: i'm just saying — the movies have it right. vampires = evil. everything is black and white, there is no gray. I know I'm a little bit of a skeptic, but the real supernatural world doesn't compare to a fictional supernatural world. i mean, where are the rules?! even the real world follows its own rules._

 _dnabbit43: saturn, it's just rumors._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: oh come one, David. You know it's not. Darla is pregnant, there's no question._

 _trekky91: regardless if it's rumor or not, I kind of agree with Saturn. and whether or not I really believe in it, the supernatural world here is inconsistent with its own rules._

 _theoriginalmoderator: care to expand on your points?_

 _saturn47: okay, let me break it down for you. Excusing the more recent inconsistency — vampires are dead, and therefore cannot get pregnant — other things have been happening for a while now. For example, when you think of vampires, you think of Dracula and ultimate evil. They are meant to be evil, and that's the way we like them. The Scourge of Europe, referring to all four of the most evil vampires the world has seen — supposedly — are the best example of the kind of vampires the world wants in terms of classic horror figures. But instead, we get a vampire who gets neutered with a soul? That's not supposed to happen with evil creatures of the night. Where's the story? Furthermore, a slayer falling in love with a vampire? Another evil vampire fighting on the side of good? It doesn't make sense in terms of what the supernatural is. When I think of the Scourge of Europe from back in the day, I get embarrassed for them. I can't imagine what they're reaction would be. Drusilla's the only one who has attributes of what it means to be a classic evil vampire. the crazy just makes it that much better._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: alright, most of that is bullshit. where are these rules you speak of? first, you're looking at everything through the eyes of a movie or a book. this is the real world, and the supernatural is included in that. Just like how real life is never represented accurately in the movies, either, the supernatural isn't exactly right on screen._

 _dnabbit43: you're also basing your findings on rumors and myths that haven't been corroborated. It's the same thing as believing real life is like the movies, but the difference is the story doesn't end with a marriage. There's kids and mortgages and maybe divorce that comes after. Movies might have been black and white back in the day, but now there's color, and yes, gray. Vampires used to be evil, yes. but there always has been neutral demons and good demons. And as far back as 1898, we've had a soulful vampire. This is the Angel versus Angelus conversation all over again._

 _saturn47: oh please. don't get all sentimental because supposedly you're buddy-buddy with Angel._

 _dnabbit43: us getting sentimental? you're the one romanticizing stories and myths and acting as if they're fact. they're not. do you want more evil creatures roaming the streets and killing people, or would you rather have a mix. the good to combat the evil._

 _trekky91: okay, I'm cool with looking at the facts here. but there's no denying that when a vampire is made, a person is killed and a demon reanimates the body, just enough so the body is up and walking around, but not enough for all its previous facilities to work again. Darla getting pregnant is the real world supernatural breaking its own rules._

 _theoriginalmoderator: maybe it's like a Mary thing._

 _thetruthisoutthere123: see, there's an example of the quote-unquote real world seemingly defying its own rules. Good job, Rob._

 _theoriginalmoderator: thank you, Matt._

 _saturn47: if we're to follow your line of thinking, the Bible, and the events of the Bible, are just stories, and therefore not accepted as truth._

 _dnabbit43: now we're just talking about two separate things._

 _saturn47: I don't think we are. You said it yourself, the real world includes the supernatural. It stands to reason that anything labeled as myth or story is to be taken with a grain of salt._

 _trekky91: I'm not sure it says anywhere in the Bible that God dabbled in vampires and demons and the like._

 _…_

 _…_

 _trekky91: so does that make the real world the one where without the supernatural, and since the supernatural exists, our world as we know it right now is somehow "wrong?"_

"I think I'm going to throw up." David glanced over at his best friend. Matt did look a little green, but there wasn't much David could do because he felt the same way. David wasn't sure what they were doing here. It just seemed like the place to go after they heard.

Cordy was the one who told them. She came to get David first, knocking on his door early the morning after. She had said she needed to tell him and Matt something. The look on her face stopped David from welcoming her back from her trip, and together they set out for Matt's apartment. After Matt joined them, the three of them headed to a nearby coffee shop. Cordy didn't even wait for their coffee to show up before she told them, and by the time the coffee did show up, David had lost his appetite.

For a while, David stared at his steaming black coffee, not wanting to see the grief in Cordy's eyes or the depression in Matt's. He supposed he should ask how Angel was doing, but then he remembered how Angel was with his son, and then he didn't need to. He wasn't sure how long they sat in silence before Matt had spoken, but from the cooling of his coffee, it must've been awhile.

"Where?" Matt had asked, his voice cracking.

Cordy didn't need to ask what Matt had meant, so she told them, and that's how they ended up here, looking at the last place baby Connor had been on this Earth. All they were looking at though was a giant pile of nothing. No evidence of a portal opening and stealing an innocent life. David wasn't one who was prone to violence, but he wanted to kill Holtz and slap Wesley upside the head for letting this happen.

"You know what really makes me mad?" Matt said after a few more minutes of standing in silence, staring at the empty landscape before them. David didn't say anything, knowing Matt would continue whether he answered or not. Matt had taken to Connor almost as much as Angel had.

"I can just picture what saturn47 would say about this." David glanced over at Matt, surprised at the direction the conversation was taking. The _Thawk! Comics_ Internet group hadn't really gotten into discussions since the last one. Then again, with saturn47's and trekky91's views on the concept of a vampire baby, despite Connor being the complete opposite of that, David understood the venom in Matt's voice.

"What's that?" David asked, turning back to look back to stare at the now-absent portal. He wondered if he just stared hard enough, he could see straight through this world and into the Hell Connor had been taken to.

Matt bent down and picked up a small rock, absent-mindedly weighing it in his hand. "He would say this is the world course-correcting itself. Connor was never meant to be born, and now he's just as good as dead."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

Matt gave a humorless laugh. "Which part? The part where the world is balanced again because Connor's gone or the part where he's dead?"

David shrugged. "Both, I guess."

Matt sighed, staring at the rock in his hand. "I don't know."

"A door opens both ways right? Or there's more than one way into a room. He'll be back. Angel will get him back," David said, though he wasn't sure if he believed the words himself.

Matt didn't look like he believed it either, but nodded anyway. "Yeah, maybe," he said, and threw the rock as hard as he could toward the distant horizon, probably hoping the world would break and all of Hell be let loose, not that it hadn't already.


End file.
